A simulation model of front-end electronics for high-precision timing measurements with low-gain avalanche detectors

Abstract

In this paper we report simulation results of a study aiming to optimize parameters of a detector that uses low-gain avalanche detectors (LGAD) for high-precision timing measurements. The detector is assumed to be composed of a 50 μ m LGAD sensor coupled to front-end readout electronics which is used to measure the time of arrival of minimum ionizing particles. The simulation includes modeling of signal fluctuations in the LGAD sensor, variations of the analog bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the front-end electronics, time bin quantization, and radiation damage of the LGAD sensors. Two approaches to measure the timestamp are considered: leading edge and constant fraction. Simulated LGAD pulses before irradiation, and after irradiation with neutron fluences of 5 × 1 0 14 n/cm 2 and 1 × 1 0 15 n/cm 2 , are studied. The time resolution for a 50 μ m LGADs was found to be 35 ps for front-end electronics bandwidths larger than 350 MHz and SNRs larger than 30. The time resolution at SNR of 30 for fluences of 5 × 1 0 14 n/cm 2 and 1 × 1 0 15 n/cm 2 were found to be 31 ps and 37 ps, respectively.